Wasserman Schultz honors cancer knitting group
Washington, DC,
April 11, 2016
SUN SENTINEL Wasserman Schultz honors cancer knitting group Marvin Glassman U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Weston) surprised the 35 members of the Southeast Florida Head Huggers Satellite Group recently at the Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie with a Congressional Record statement honoring the organization for knitting and crocheting blankets, hats, wraps, among other clothing items for adult and pediatric cancer patients undergoing treatment. The group, also affectionately known as "Caps and Wraps," meet each Thursday at the JCC to volunteer their knitting skills in creating more than 20,000 garments since the Southeast Florida satellite group was founded by Aline Zucker in 2011. Wasserman Schultz cited the Congressional Record statement that she gave to Congress as follows: "I rise today to recognize the Southeast Chapter of Florida Head Huggers, also known as 'Caps and Wraps' as they celebrate their fifth year anniversary." "This wonderful group of ladies meets every Thursday to knit and crochet caps, wraps, and blankets which are donated to adult and pediatric cancer patients who are undergoing treatment." "Since the group began in January, 2011, Caps and Wraps have donated more than 20,000 'handmade hugs' to local hospitals and oncology offices to ensure that cancer patients are provided with warmth and comfort." "As a cancer survivor, I offer my heartfelt appreciation to Chapter founder Aline Zucker for her kindness and generosity." "I commend the Southeast Chapter of Florida Head Huggers for their commitment and compassion to the cancer community." Wasserman Schultz also added personal remarks on what the "Caps and Wraps" meant to her at the JCC presentation. "As a cancer survivor myself at age 41, I went though seven surgeries and will never forget the compassion of the group in receiving their knitted gifts." "I was not open initially about sharing with the public about having breast cancer. My children were aged four and nine at the time and, being a public figure, I had to protect them." "I came to learn that both Ashkenazi Jewish and African-American young women have an increased risk of breast cancer. I also wanted to give back to people the knowledge I had. That's why I introduced the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, or the EARLY Act, which became law with the Affordable Care Act in 2010," said the 49-year-old Wasserman Schultz before applause from the group. "This is a wonderful surprise and appreciate the Congressional Record statement that Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz made to our group," said Zucker. According to Zucker, the "Caps and Wraps" distribute the knitted clothing to different organizations throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, such as Holy Cross and Memorial West Hospitals in Broward, Jackson Memorial and Mount Sinai Hospitals in Miami-Dade and Lynn Cancer Institute in Palm Beach County. Following her presentation, Wasserman Schultz talked with many of the group members. One of them, Lynn Wolfson of Weston, who is diagnosed with Hirschsprung's Disease (a birth defect affecting the large intestine), advocated for Wasserman Schultz to work on what she calls "Lynn's Law" for better public restroom handicap stalls. "Public handicap restroom stalls are currently not friendly to people like myself who have feeding tubes, ostomies, need to catheterize to urinate, or anyone else that carries medical equipment on their person. I created a design for a stall that is user-friendly for the handicapped," said Wolfson, who has spoken in Washington, D.C. in the past about "Lynn's Law." "The congresswoman was very receptive and positive to me. People with certain medical conditions are not able to use a public restroom without assistance. It can be humiliating for an individual to be accompanied into the stall of a public restroom," said Wolfson, who has been a member of "Caps and Wraps" for two years. To learn more about the Southeast Florida Head Huggers Satellite Group, call Aline Zucker at 954-610-2981 or go to www.headhuggers.org |
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